Electric switch



T. L. PARKER ELECTRIC SWITCH July 4, 1933.

Filed April 24. 1929 Patented July 4, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT vOFFICE THOMAS I.. PARKER, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ELECTRIC: sWIToII Application inea April 24, i929. seriai No. 357,752'.

My invention relates to electric switches Fig. 1 is an end elevation' view of the de,- and more particularly it relates to switches vice; adapted for mounting on the handle or lever Fig. 2 is a side elevational View;

of a manually controlled device. The device Fig. 3 is a view along the line 3 3 of Fig.- of my invention is particularly adapted for V1 drawn to a larger scale;

use with electrically actuated manually pro- Fig. 4is a view along the line 4-4 of Fig. pelled devices, such for example, as vacuum 3; and cleaners and other similar instrumentalities F ig. 5 is a View along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. and it is also adapted for use with all sorts Referring noW more particularly to the le of portable or stationary electrically operated drawing, the numeral geneially designates 60 devices, wherein it is desirable to have a a face plate having a U-shaped cross-section switch conveniently mounted on the instru- Which, together With a plurality of sheets ment 01' device is being 0perated Of lIlSllliltlllg matl'll 12 make up the main One of the objects of the invention is the body of the switch. The insulating material provision 0f improved means, adapted t0 is arranged in a plurality of sheets for ease 65 compensate for Wearing -or abrasion of the 1n assembllng and n lay be 0lany lesll'el ma" Contact members thereby insuring complete terial, such as bakelite or any suitable fibrous contact connections when the switch is closed, matellal, Wlllell has lnsnlallng qllalltles- The regardless of the amount 0f Sel-Vices t0 which sheets 12 are fastened together and to the face the device has been subjected. plate Of IlVetS 15, the face 70 Another object is the provision of a mount- Plate l0 leelng OI tllS PUIPOSG PrQVded ing for the conductors and contact which Wlth-a P21 1I 0f upper end proiections 14 beprovides Jfor their complete insulation for tween WhlCh the Sheets 12 :are positioned. all positions of the same and eliminates the The ShGGSlQ IOVlde im lIiSulated mount- 25 possibility of any other portion of the deing for binding ead screws 13. The screws 75 Vice becoming Charged- 13 are mounted on binding posts 16. The

The mechanism is assembled and mounted lnndlng Posts 16 are @ah fastened to an ad as a unit, tlie mounting being so arranged laeent shenl' l2 by OPPOsltely pesltlened l'lVels that upon disassembling the switch the 171 the Inldelle )ne 0f the sheets l2 selVlng 0 mechanism remains intact as a unit and a to insulate the rivets from each other. -Confurther object of the invention is the protael" brushes 9 are Pesllnened between the vision of an improved mounting and assemblndlng Posts le and the adlaeent sheets l2- bly of the switch actuating mechanism. A lecker allns generally (leslgnated by elle Another object of the invention is the pronnnlel'al ll le PlVOlallY mounted Pon a Pln 85 vision ofaswimh ofthekin described which 1 9 Whlh extends through the Outstandlng is simple, compact, easily manipulated and side portions of the face plate 10. The sheets can be manufactured at 10W Cost 12 are concave towards theplate 10 and to-v Many other objects and advantages of the gather Wlth the Plate Provlde a nouslng 1n 4i, construction herein shown and described will vllc; tg rotclller .argltll may Swmg to open be obvious to those skilled in the art from the An inseet 2g Clas through a Slot 28 dlsclosmie harem gwen' formed for that purpose in the face plate 103 T0 tnls end nl-V lnventlon conslsts 1n tn e the slot being of sufficient length to permit nOVel eenstrnellenv arrangement and Colnnl' the insert lever to be rotated as desired about nation of parts liereinshown and described, the pin 19 upon which it is mountml A 95 nml more Particularly Pelnled ont ln tne knob 27 is provided on the outer end of the ClalmS. n lever 26 to permit easy actuation of the lever In the drawing, wherein like reference in Controlling the rocker arm 11 which is characters indicate like or corresponding pivotally mounted on the pin 19. parts: 7 The rocker arm 11 comprises a U-shaped '100 plate 2l having its open end rotatably mount ed on the pin 19. A flat rivet or pm 22 1s mounted on the closed end of the plate 21 and is provided with an enlarged head cut 5 away sufficiently to actas a guide pin for one end of a compression spring 23. A pair of shouldered insulating washers 24 are mounted on the rivet 22. The rivet 22 is made fiat to prevent its rotation on its mounting as well as to prevent the washers 24 from rotatingr about their mounting on the rivet.

The outer end of the rivet 22 is spread and thereby holds the washers 24 fixed against movement longitudinally of the rivet. A contact ring 25 is mounted on the washers 24, completely filling the space between the shouldered ends of the washers. The washers 24 provide a mounting which completely insulates the ring 25 from the remaining portion of the rocker arm 11. The outer diameter of the ring is preferably slightly greater than that of the shouldered portions of the washers 24.

The inner end of the lever 26 forms a toggle 25 mechanism comprising oppositely positioned stop fingers 29 and a centrally positioned stem 30. A socket 3l in the mid portion of the stem 30 provides a fastening means for one end of the compression spring 23. The projecting head of the rivet 22 serves as a guide to hold the other end of the spring 23 in place.

The full line position of the rocker arm l1 and of the insert lever 26 corresponds to the open position of the mechanism. It will be observed that the spring 23 tends to hold the arm 1l in the full line position. The circuit is closed by pushing downwardly on the insert lever 26. The spring 23 resists the downward movement of the lever 26 until the lever reaches its neutral position of alignment with the rocker arm 11. Further movement of the lever 26 will be accelerated by the resiliency of the spring 23 and the rocker arm 1l is thereby impulsively moved from its full line position to its dotted line position wherein the circuit is closed.

The projecting ends of the contact brushes 9 are formed to project inwardly. In moving to its closed position, the rocker arm 11 brings the ring 25 into engagement with the contact brushes 9 which are positioned in its path. The contact brushes 9 have their pro]ecting ends conforming to the curvature of the ring 25 so as to insure surface contact therewith. The extreme ends of the contact brushes 9 have a slight outward curvature which forms a guide for the ring 25 as the ring moves into engagement with the resilient contact brushes. The contact brushes 9 are so spaced as to be spread slightly when the ring 25 is positioned therebetween. The construction and arrangement of the contact brushes 9 thereby compensate for any wear 65 of the contacting parts and insure their effective cooperation with the ring 25 during the entire'life of the device. The dotted line shows the position of the lever 26 and the rocker arm ll when the circuit is closed. The circuit is opened by pushing the lever 26 upwardly and the resulting actuations of the toggle means mounted on the inner end of the lever 26 is opposite to and similar to the movements described for moving the rocker arm ll from its full line to its dotted line position. The rocker arm l1 retains its dotted line position with the ring 25 between the contact brushes 9 until the lever 26 has been moved to axial alignment with the rocker arm, whereupon the spring 23 operates to impulsively actuate the rocker arm back to its full line position.

The switch may be mounted on any article or instrument which it is intended to control and for this purpose I have provided vapertures 32 in the end portion of the face plate l0. The apertures 32 are suitable for receiving screws, (not shown). The screws will serve to fasten the device to a plate member 33 or the like shown in dotted lines. The member 33 may be any suitable portion of the device or instrument to which the switch is attached. An aperture 20 formed in the lower portion of thelinsulating sheets 12 is for convenience in inserting a screw through the adjacent apertures Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An electric switch comprising a plurality of contact brushes, a pivotally mounted rocker arm having an electrical connector ring mounted thereon, an operating lever having a socket formed therein and separate from said arm, said lever being pivotally mounted on an axis coincident with the pivotal axis of the arm and operatively related thereto, and resilient means having one of its end portions positioned in said socket and its opposite end engaging said rocker arm for imparting an impulsive movement to the arm and connector in a manner to connect or disconnect said brushes when said lever is moved in one direction or another.

2. An electric switch comprising a plurality of contact brushes, a pivotally mounted operating lever having a socket formed therein, a rocker arm independent of said lever and pivotally mounted on an axis coincident with the pivotal axis of the lever, an electrical connector ring surrounding the free end of said arm, and resilient means operatively related to said socket and arm for imparting an impulsive movement to said arm and electrical connector in a manner to connect or disconnect said brushes when said lever is moved in one direction or another.

3. An electric switch comprising a plurality of contact brushes, a pivotally mounted operating lever having a socket formed therein, a rocker arm independent of said lever and pivotally mounted on an axis coincident With the pivotal axis of the lever, a plurality of insulating Washers mounted on the free end of said arm and having shouldered portions formed on their adjacent ends,

THOMAS L. PARKER. 

